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Monday, December 22, 2008

Well, it looks like I will actually get my 2008 Holiday card into the mail before Christmas afterall. I started the drawing. directly on to the piece of pre-cut lino on the train back from Baltimore Saturday, cut and printed the blue layer yesterday and cut and printed the black layer this afternoon. Since the radiator is cranking in the studio, it looks like the prints are actually dry enough to label and stamp the post cards I printed up with the image and pop them into the mail tomorrow a.m. before hopping on the plane for a week long trip to Ft. Lauderdale.

I started printing up my own Holiday cards in 1995, having been to design school but never taking a printmaking class I decided to teach myself how to print linocuts. I can't quite remember exactly what inspired me to work with linocuts other than the fact that I believed by using this medium I would be forced to work in a less detailed fashion than what I was used to doing with many other mediums including, graphite, pen and ink and acrylics. As you can see with time, I found a way to work around that perceived notion of a"less-detailed" medium.

Not knowing what the proper tools were in order to do an actual linocut, I bought a piece of wood-backed linoleum and when the time came to actually cut the image out, I grabbed what I was used to working with, an xacto-blade and got to work cutting out my first piece. That became the 2-color self-portrait holiday card I created while still living in Boston in 1995.

I continued to work like this until I moved to NYC the following year and just happened to meet Javier Cintron, a brilliant artist in his own right who at the time was working in the printmaking workshop of Bob Blackburn. Through Javier, I discovered that there were proper tools to cut linoleum with and places where they actually had printing presses to print editions out on. I'd sneak in when Javier was monitoring the shop and work on my own projects while observing the rest of the artists. Eventually when I became comfortable enough with the environment, I became a monitor and as part of the job, I was allowed to use the presses during my shifts.

As time passed, I was able to purchase my own medium-sized press and the rest is history. I'm pretty sure at this point I have a few hundred images printed up over the years.

The following prints represent the work I've created as Holiday cards as well as gift tags between 1995 and this week. I look back at the images and I'm amazed at just how personal and revealing they really are. Although the subject matter changes each year, they have all become self-portraits allowing a glimpse into my state of mind at the time of creation.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

I had an absolutely amazing time in Baltimore, despite the crappy weather and insane work hours we all put in prior to the Alice in Wonderland production presented by Scott Rink of DanceRink at Theatre Project, I can honestly say that I look forward to heading back to Baltimore for another visit when the weather warms up.

Despite being a contributor to the actual "Alice" production via backdrop and prop designs, I can honestly say that I looked forward to curtain call each and every night. Scott managed to direct and pull together an amazing group of collaborators as well as a brilliant tech team and incredibly talented group of dancers who completely devoted themselves to this multi-dimensional piece. We had a nearly full house every night including today's matinee performance that was pleasantly 2/3's filled with children.

LAST MINUTE COSTUME PAINTING

DANCERS ON STAGE

Brandon and I managed to do a brisk business selling t-shirts featuring images from Alice contributions as well as other pieces with my artwork on them. And if you're wondering, yes indeed, we have a few extra for sale. Feel free to contact me through here if you're interested.

DANCER SPORTING THE CHESHIRE CAT TEE

BRANDON AND MAX ALSO SPORTING THE CHESHIRE CAT TEE

I'll have some professional photos up withing the next day or so. In the interim, I'm going to post a few shots from the trip including this beautiful 120+ year old home/bed and breakfast that the Theatre Project houses it's visiting artists in as well as some shots from Brandon and my excursion to the Walters Museum and a few interesting buildings and sculptures in the Mount Vernon section of the city we bounced around in. As a side note, I have to say, if you want to see some absolutely amazing period architecture, head to Baltimore and specifically the Mount Vernon area as I was absolutely amazed at block after block of Victorian architecture, single family homes, brownstones, banks, insurance companies, they were all represented.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Alright, you caught me, not a single bug in this post. But... since this is a very special card that I recently received in the mail, I thought it deserved to be posted. Wendy Thornley, an acomplished artist in her own right, just so happens to be my high school art teacher and the reason why I continue to create artwork to this very day. We still exchange holiday cards every year, and every once in a while I pull out her phone number and give her a call. Despite our sporadic communications, she's the type of person I think about often with fondness and gratitude. Every child should be so lucky as to have a teacher like Ms. Thornley in their life.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Hello, well it looks like 2008 is coming to a wrap and since the remaining 2 weeks of December will find me traveling to Baltimore for the production of Alice in Wonderland featuring my artwork as backdrops and props, then on to a much needed rest in Florida for Christmas, I'm trying to get the December bug in the mail as early as possible to those who have already sent in their submissions .

With the end of the year comes the last of the 2008 series Berube-Bugs. Fret not, I'll be continuing the project into the new year, with a fresh batch of creatures. As long as you send them in, I'll send them out. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to the project over the past 6 or so months, and especially those "regulars" who month after month show me just how brilliant your talent really is. I look forward to the new year and all the creatures it may bring.

Monday, December 8, 2008

One of the last pieces I was asked to create for the Alice project is/are basic components for a tea party that are to then be painted on to a rectangular sheet and used as a prop held aloft between performers.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Brandon Lacy Campos and I are selling t-shirts featuring 3 of my illustration designs. The Cheshire Cat tee is being released in conjunction with the stage production of Alice in Wonderland playing December 17-21 in Baltimore Maryland. It's available as an Adult tee with black sleeves or children/youth sizes 8, 10, 12 in with either pink or black sleeves.

The Elephant/Ganesha tee is a reprint of an earlier release that benefited the ASPCA of New York City.

And the RoboSanta is a very limited printing, well, because I thought it was a funny image.

5% of t-shirt sales will be donated to Camp Heartland, a place for children and family affected by HIV/AIDS.

We're accepting preorders now. Actual tees will be available around the 13th of Dec. Checks, Money Orders and PayPal payments accepted. Please contact me for mailing address, payment, PayPal acct. info and any questions you may have.